I Was a U.S. Soldier — Then I Went to Prison

Matt Runge shares his honest & cautionary life story — from joining the U.S. Army because he didn’t know what else to do with his life, to being kicked out of the military and sent to military prison for selling drugs. After his release, Matt explains how he continued down the same destructive path, dealing drugs on the outside and repeatedly landing in both federal and state prison. In this episode, he breaks down the mindset that kept pulling him back into crime, what life was really like inside different prison systems, and how those experiences forced him to confront his choices. This honest conversation dives into military life, prison, addiction, accountability, and the long road to breaking cycles, making it a powerful watch for anyone interested in true crime, prison stories, and real-life redemption.

#TrueCrime #PrisonStory #VeteranStory #LifeAfterPrison #CrimeAndPunishment #RedemptionStory #FederalPrison #reallifestory

Thank you to FRONTLINE HEALING FOUNDATION for sponsoring this episode:
Visit https://frontlinehealingfoundation.org/ to donate or share their mission.

Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
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https://ianbick.com/

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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction & Guest Background
02:30 Growing Up in North Jersey
06:00 ADHD, School Struggles & Early Trouble
09:00 DJing, Nightclubs & the Party Lifestyle
12:00 High School Expulsion & Losing Direction
15:30 Joining the Army & Being Stationed in Korea
18:30 Club Life Overseas, Drugs & Selling While Enlisted
22:00 First Military Arrest & Getting Busted
26:00 Inside Military Prison: What It’s Really Like
30:00 Release, Returning Home & Going Back to Hustling
33:30 New Jersey Arrests & State Prison Experience
39:00 Hustle Mentality & Surviving Prison Life
42:30 Repeat Offenses & Catching a Federal Case
50:30 Federal Prison Life: Hustling, Cards & Food
55:00 Release, Club Work & Finding New Hustles
01:00:00 South Carolina Arrest & Another Prison Stretch
01:10:00 Parole, Final Sentence & Looking Back
01:15:00 Life After Prison & Lessons Learned
01:18:30 Final Reflections, Regret & Closing Thoughts